Apparatus for mercerizing cloth



May 20, 1952 M. s. DAYAN APPARATUS FOR MERCERIZING CLOTH Filed May 14, 1949 INVENTOR. MoZ/r/ce 2 flqya/z IPTTOANEY Patented May 20, 1952 UNITED STATE.

OFFICE 8 Claims. 1

My invention is an improved process and apparatus for treating cloth preliminary to dyeing and particularly for mercerizi'n'g the fabric.

The improvement relates chiefly to the treatment of tubular cloth that is generally produced by knitting; and an important object is to provide a process and apparatus by which long'pieces of tubular cloth can be me'rcerized by a continuous operation and at greatly reduced expense.

Another object is toprovide a process and'apparatus for flattening and stretching tubular cloth both longitudinally and transversely, in the first step, and maintaining it at the proper tension during contact with the mercerizing agent and the washing medium.

Other objects and advantages of myinvention are fully described hereinafter; and the distinguishin'g features are pointed out in the claims. I do not wish to berestricted to the exact details of structure or mode of proceeding disclosed herein; for changes may be made without deviation from the principleof the invention and without omission or basic alteration of any of the essential steps or parts.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top view of the apparatus employed for my invention andthe manner in which the process is performed. 7

Figure '2 is a side view of what appears in Figure 1; and

Figures 3, 4, 5 and-6 show details.

The numeral I indicates a piece of tubular cloth produced by knitting or otherwise. This cloth when laid out fiat is in separate layers"; and 3, integrally united along the lateral edges. The cloth is stretchedboth longitudinally and transversely in the performance of the process; and is first passed between a pair of rolls 4, placed one above the other; and bearing against the upper layer-2 and lower layer 3. Before entering the rolls '4 a spreader member 5 is inserted into the end of the clothto-di'stend and fiattenit. This spreader has the-form'of an open frameand rests'upon' the top of a table or-other suitable support 6. In the final'stage 'the'cloth arrives at another pair of rolls I. Before reaching, the rolls 1, the cloth is passed througha tank {loontaining a solution of caustic soda, and then through another vessel 9 which contains only wash water. Between the receptacles 8 and 9 the cloth is exposed to the air for the required interval. The rolls 4 and I, known as nip rolls, stretch the cloth lengthwise, and the member 5 stretches it in width before it enters the tank 8. The rolls 4 and I are made out of any suitable 2. material, and are so mounted that the pressure thereof against the cloth I can be adjusted as may be necessary. They impart to the cloth required longitudinal tension as it moves through 5- the vessels 8 and 9, and of course have the required size'and weight.

The spreader frame 5 is made of tubular metal, with parallel side's II, and a rear end I2. The front end I 3, which is'pushed first into the cloth.

10 *is shorter, and may either be rounded, or joined to the sides I2 by short diagonal portions I I as shown in Figure 3. The parts of the frame are too thick to pass between the rolls l.- Hence the frame remains stationary with the cloth I as the l5'- latter is drawn'between the rolls 4. More than" one spreader can be used inside the clothbefore' it enters the rolls 4, but in such a case, each should be alittle wider than the one ahead ofit,

to stretch the cloth progressively as it passes -into the rolls 4.

After leaving the rolls 4, the cloth I is subjected to action of the long spreader frame Ill, the latter being of greater breadth than any spreader in front of the rolls 4. The spreader I0 extends over both tanks 8 and 9, which have a space between themto expose the cloth to the air. When the successive portions of the cloth enter the tank 8 it has been stretched both lengthwise and'crosswise to the full extent necessary.

Over the spreader ID the cloth is pulled by the rolls I into the soda tank 8. In its passage throughthis tank it is kept distendedby the long spreader I I] which has a horizontally disposed end of suitable size shown at I5 overlapping the intake end of the tank 8, and a long curved-part I6 that is bent down into the tank 8. This spreader also has a long 'curved' section I? bent down into the tank "9 and a straight horizontal intermediate member or section I8 between the 40 two tanks. The distance between the soda tank 8 and the water bath .9 is enough to expose the cloth to the air for the time needed. Beyond'the vessel S'the frame Ill has a horizontallydisposed. end I9 overlapping the outlet end of this vessel 9.

5 The sides of the spreader It have cross braces 20 between them to maintain uniform width throughout.

The crossflbarslll are-attachedto the sides ZI and 22 with smooth junctions, so that no corners or projections are present to catch and tear the cloth. The bends are rounded and the clips in the frame where the parts I6 and I1 curve downward into the tanks 8 and 9 are at a gradual incline to assure smooth easy motion of the cloth.

The long spreader I0 may be equipped with 3 anti-friction elements in the form of wheels 23 mounted on journals in recesses 25 at suitable intervals along the outer faces of the sides 2| and 22. The cross bars can be relatively thick like bolsters and rounded at their opposite ends as shown at 24 in Figure 5.

The process gives a thoroughly mercerizing action and can be rapidly and continuously performed. The cost of mercerizing with my invention is greatly reduced, without loss or reduction in efliciency, and the results are all that can be desired. After leaving the water bath tank, the cloth can be wound again into rope, and be made ready for dyeing and such further treatment as the cloth may need to finish it; including further washing and securing as required. The water in the tank 9 sets the cloth after mercerizn The cross rods 20 or 24 and the anti-friction wheels 23 can be as numerous and set as close together as may be necessary. The wheels 23 can be mounted in slots 25 in the sides 2| and project from the slots. These slots are horizontal, so

that the rollers project laterally from the sides 2| and 22. See Figure 6. They can also be mounted on the upper or lower surfaces of the sides.

When the cloth leaves the tank 8 it can be squeezed between a pair of soft rolls 26 adjacent the outlet end of the tank to expel excess soda solution. The rolls 1 are preferably supported just above the outlet end of the tank 9, within the edge thereof, so that excess water is squeezed out in the same way and drops into the tank. The rolls 4 and 1 are operated at suitable rates of speed to stretch the cloth lengthwise between them.

Having described my invention, what I believe to be new is:

1. Apparatus for mercerizing tubular cloth comprising a vessel for a mercerizing agent and a vessel for a washing medium, a pair of rolls for engaging the cloth adjacent the intake end of the first vessel, a pair of rolls adjacent the outlet end of the other vessel, and a spreader frame extending through both vessels.

2. Apparatus for mercerizing tubular cloth comprising a vessel for a mercerizing agent and a vessel for a washing medium, a pair of rolls for engaging the cloth adjacent the intake end of the first vessel, a pair of rolls adjacent the outlet end of the other vessel, and a spreader frame extending through both vessels, said frame carrying anti-friction elements disposed along the length thereof.

3. Apparatus for mercerizing tubular cloth comprising a vessel for a mercerizing agent and a vessel for a washing medium, a stretcher member projecting beyond the intake end of the first vessel and the outlet end of the second vessel, said member having curved sections extending smoothly downward into both vessels between the ends of each, and a pair of rolls adjacent each end of said member.

4. Apparatus for mercerizing tubular cloth comprising a vessel for a mercerizing agent and a vessel for a washing medium, a stretcher member projecting beyond the intake end of the first vessel and the outlet end of the second vessel, said member having curved sections extending smoothly downward into both vessels between the ends of each, and a pair of rolls adjacent each end of said member, said member having antifriction elements disposed at points along the length thereof.

5. Apparatus for mercerizing tubular cloth comprising a vessel for a mercerizing agent and a vessel for a washing medium, a stretcher member projecting beyond the intake end of the first vessel and the outlet end of the second vessel, said member having curved sections extending smoothly downwardly into both vessels between the ends of each, and a pair of rolls adjacent each end of said member, said member having antifriction elements disposed in slots at points along the length thereof.

6. Apparatus for mercerizing tubular cloth comprising a vessel for a mercerizing agent and a vessel for a washing medium, a stretcher member projecting beyond the intake end of the first vessel and the outlet end of the second vessel, said member having curved sections extending smoothly downward into both vessels between the ends of each, and a pair of rolls adjacent each end of said member, said member having cross bars connecting the sides thereof and anti-friction elements carried by the sides projecting beyond the surfaces thereof.

'7. An apparatus for mercerizing tubular cloth comprising a vessel for a mercerizing agent and a vessel for a washing medium, rolls for engaging the cloth adjacent the intake end of the first vessel, rolls adjacent the outlet end of the other vessel, spreading means in the first vessel for the cloth, spreading means in the second vessel for the cloth, and a spreading section extending between the spreading means in the two vessels.

8. An apparatus for mercerizing tubular cloth comprising a vessel for a mercerizing agent and a vessel for a washing medium, rolls for engaging the cloth adjacent the intake end of the first vessel, rolls adjacent the outlet end of the other vessel, spreading means in the first vessel for the cloth, spreading means in the second vessel for the cloth, and a spreading section extending between the spreading means in the two vessels, said spreading means and said section having anti-friction elements at the sides along the length thereof.

MAURICE S. DAYAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,139,612 Weis May 18, 1915 1,691,701 Carlson Nov. 13, 1928 2,209,950 Nai Aug. 6, 1940 2,219,663 Schuster Oct. 29, 1940 2,239,636 Weiss Apr. 22, 1941 2,253,083 Mees et al Aug. 19, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 159,642 Switzerland Apr. 1, 1933 

